Can I generate my own electricity for my electric car?

Want to cut your costs and environmental footprint even further with your electric car? Consider generating your own electricity either via solar or wind power

Last Updated: 05 Nov 2018

If you have, or are thinking about purchasing an electric vehicle thanks to their green credentials, you might be disappointed to find that the electric grid they are charged from still relies significantly on fossil fuels.

True, the use of renewables, including wind and solar, is on the up, with the grid becoming greener each year. But for some this isn’t enough, especially if there are savings to be made.

It turns out you can power your electric vehicle through electricity made at home, either through solar or wind power. Read on to find out how.

Current estimates in the UK suggest a small 1kW system can generate 850kWh of electricity a year, enough to fully charge an electric car, like the Hyundai Kona Electric 64kWh over 10 times.

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Increase the size or quantity of your solar panels, and you’ll generate more power.

It’s important to note that solar panels cannot store energy. So your electric car can only be charged by the panels when its sunny. To store energy from the panels, you will have to invest in a home battery system, like the Tesla Powerwall, or Nissan’s xStorage. These are lithium-ion battery systems that can store energy generated by solar or other means for use later on.

However, the power you generate won’t be wasted, as it’ll flow back into the national grid - and you’ll be paid for it too.

The whole system isn’t cheap, even taking into account government tariffs and subsidies.

Install a wind turbine

This is a much rarer option, and rarely seen in the UK, but it is possible. Much like solar power, wind power can be used to power your home and your electric car. Wind turbines make sense, too, given that 40% of the wind energy in Europe flows through the UK.

If your house is situated in the right area, a home turbine can bring in big savings, but it’s vital you speak to your local authority as you may need planning permission. Wind turbines also benefit from the same Feed-in-Tariffs that apply to solar panels – for every kWh energy generated by either solar or wind, your energy supplier pays you back a certain amount.

Much like solar panels, though, wind energy cannot be stored by the turbine. To do so, you will have to purchase a separate home battery system.